Articles have been developed which are coated or impregnated with useful substances intended to be utilized when the article is contacted with a target surface. While there are advantages with having the substance present on or near the surface of such articles, there is often the drawback that the useful substance is unprotected and is subject to inadvertent contact before intended use. One broad category of such articles encompasses the area of tapes and labels.
In the art of tapes, labels, and other articles using pressure sensitive adhesive to adhere an adhesive coated surface to a target surface, there has been recognized the problem of premature sticking to the target surface. That is, before the adhesive coated surface can be properly positioned over a target surface, inadvertent contact of the adhesive with the target surface causes premature sticking at one or more locations, thereby inhibiting proper positioning. Premature sticking may also cause contamination or degradation of the adhesive prior to final positioning at the target surface.
One approach developed to overcome this problem provides a material with three-dimensional non-deformable standoffs on a material surface, between which adhesive elements are located. Standoffs include any means extending outwardly from an adhesive surface which is contacted first before the adhesive surface is exposed to contact by another surface. While this approach has proven suitable for certain applications, such materials are commonly designed with many if not all of their protrusions at a uniform heights and spacing. Accordingly, engagement and deployment of such materials tends to be an "all or nothing" proposition in that control over the degree of engagement is difficult to achieve.
Another approach involves the use of sheet materials having deformable three-dimensional standoffs which deform to a substantially two-dimensional condition to deliver a substance to a target surface. While this approach has likewise proven suitable for certain applications, and because of its three-dimensional to two-dimensional functionality it is suitable for a wider range of applications than rigid standoffs, it is likewise commonly provided with many if not all of the protrusions at a uniform height and spacing. Accordingly, engagement and deployment of such materials tends to be an "all or nothing" proposition in that control over the degree of engagement is difficult to achieve.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a three-dimensional sheet material with protrusions which are deformable to a substantially two-dimensional condition to deliver a substance to a target surface in progressive stages during activation by a user.
It would also be desirable to provide such a material which provides for multiple discrete activation levels for delivering a substance to a target surface.
It would further be desirable to provide such a material which provides for multiple discrete activation levels for progressively delivering multiple substances to a target surface.